Neal Schon said that he and former colleague Steve Perry had an “undeniable” chemistry, and that Perry should remember that and consider working together again. The guitarist also announced that Journey were going to take a year off after their current tour ends.

Both men have ruled out a reunion as far as the band goes since Perry plotted his return to music, with Schon telling fans to “give it a rest” and Perry noting that the parties were happier apart.

“I’m as happy as everybody else to hear his voice again,” Schon told AZ Central in a new interview, following the launch of the singer's comeback song “No Erasin’." “I’m glad to see that he’s found the passion again that he once had for music, because everyone has clearly missed him. I know I have. Steve and Aretha Franklin have always been my favorite singers. There’s a lot of other great singers in their own right. But once in a lifetime, I think, that you find someone that’s able to do things like Aretha and Steve. So I’m glad to see him back and I’m hoping he stays with it as he sounds really excited about his career again.”

Asked about the chances of working together, Schon said that he's "made it really, really clear that I could. I’m not gonna press the issue anymore because I think ultimately it’s gonna be up to him. But I will say that I know my fans and Journey fans around the world are writing me, privately and openly, and just praying for that, because we definitely have a chemistry together that’s undeniable. Will he have another chemistry with another guitar player? Sure. But we already have a legacy and a chemistry that’s existing in everyone’s hearts and souls. So hopefully, he’ll think about that for a second.”

Schon said Journey's upcoming hiatus was a “good idea right now." "Everyone can try to figure out what they want to do, where they want to be," he pointed out. "There’s a lot of question marks, you know? I don’t have a lot of question marks in front of myself. I know what I want to do and like everything that I’ve ever gone after, I think I will attain it.”

That includes a new solo album, Universe, which he described as “bluesy, orchestral, classical, R&B and some fusion mixed in.” “I think the band is amazing," he said of Journey. "We have a chemistry when we play together that is undeniable. And I think the band is on 10 every night. We’re very, very consistent. ... I’m very excited and optimistic for the future, to move forward.”